Over the past six months of my cancer journey, I’ve learned that a sense of humor is very important during the hard times. Joy is an inside job and is not dependent upon our circumstances.
Looking back over this season, a few “funnies” come to mind that just might bring a smile to your face.
Mark and I were meeting some friends for lunch. I was having a procedure at the cancer center before our lunch and didn’t want to wear my wig for the procedure so I put it in a sack to bring with me and change into for lunch. As we were driving to the restaurant, I realized that I left the sack with my wig in it at home. When we met our friends, I told them, “Pardon my appearance. I left my hair on the kitchen counter.”
Then on one of my first trips to the mall after I lost my hair, I went into a dressing room to try on some clothes. I took off my wig to try the clothes on, but needed a different size shirt. My mom was with me but not close enough for me to ask her to get a different size so I threw my clothes on–and forgot to put my wig back on—and headed out to get the right size. I got several funny looks and then realized that I’d gone into the fitting room with hair and came out without hair. I wish I had thought fast enough to say, “You don’t want to go into that dressing room! You’ll lose your hair!”
One day I snapped this picture. You know, not everyone can carry their hair around in their purse.
What about you? When have you found humor to be helpful during a hard season?
You and I are only a few months different in our cancer journey. I never quite got into the wig thing. I however has a TON of hats. I totally agree with you and your spirit that you have to have a GREAT sense of humor to get you thru this all.. I also have a wonderful 14 yr old daughter that has inherited my humor. We were in the car singing one day and just being goofy. My hat was making me HOT so I took it off and continued to sing. It was hwy driving after all and who cares! It wasn’t until we were off the hwy and stopped at a light and I got a few stares, then I noticed that I didn’t have a hat on, was bald and getting odd looks. That is when I rolled down my window and said “hey, this is what beating cancer looks like!” Now that was an awesome feeling!!
I am done with chemo (hair is super slow at coming back) and getting ready to do radiation for 6 1/2 wks. I really like that you shared your story so publicly. It showed others that they too can do this!! I am glad you are almost done and are free to enjoy the summer!! GOD has many blessing for you and Mark ahead!
Christine, it took me a while to be comfortable with the bald thing in public. It was even hard to do it in the car, but that’s where I first started and then it got easier. Hang in there girlfriend, I hope you find radiation a breeze after dealing with chemo!
Humor was an essential part of the challenge. The day my hair was so far gone that I had to clipper it? I decided to have an impromptu “coming out” party with my immediate family.
In Kohls, I came across a “BCA” display all emblazoned with PINK ribbons that featured “Quick dry hair towels”. I started laughing so hard that my belly hurt. I bent over to grab my stomach and my hat fell off. I popped it back on (I wasn’t comfortable doing the bald in public) but looked at my sisters and told them…Just looking at them and my hair is dry!
One tough chemo week I had my head in my toilet while my dil held cold clothes over my forehead. I told her “At least you don’t have to hold my hair out of the way!”
I remember the first time we laughed about cancer…my husband and I. We both wanted ice cream but he didn’t really want to get out of the car to go into the store and buy it. He asked me to go. I popped of…”Oh yeah, ask the woman with cancer to wait on you! Nice.” Then we burst into laughter…until we were teary. It was at the beginning and the first time we had found something about cancer that we could laugh over. We both wound up going in to get the ice cream. 🙂
The last day of radiation my sisters came to surprise me at the clinic. I walked out of the dressing room to a shower of confetti, noise makers, balloons and as they threw beads over my neck. I laughed at the beads because I admit that nearly everyone working in the cancer center had seen my foobies. It was a joyful way to end the active (and harrowing radiation for me) treatment.
During my treatment I found I had the courage to wear the gaudiest earrings, and scarves. I am generally conservative in dress but for some reason felt the freedom to let go during that season.
There is a lot of hard stuff to deal with physically when it comes to cancer and the treatment. I had the bilateral mastectomy and radiation as well as chemo. No mistaking there are bad days in there. But they were easier to deal with by keeping God’s joy in reach and looking for the humor in our afflictions.
Toward the end of my chemo for breast cancer 29 years ago I walked in to our bedroom where our son, a toddler was playing with some small toy trucks. I had left my breast prosthesis laying on the bed and to my dismay I saw that my precious “breast” was torn and leaking its gel filling. I assumed he had used it for a “ramp” for his trucks… So I asked our son what happened and he said, “I took a bite out of it Mommy.” 🙂 Oh my!! Thankfully, I was able to laugh about it.
Insurance covered another one because they said no one could make up a story like that!
I refuse to wear a wig and very rare will wear a hat. I actually wore hats way more when I had hair, but I refuse to hide what I’m going thru. In my opinion it’s about awareness so I don’t hide anything!
Many of funnies have come with all of this but when my best friend and I were doing the Indy Mini Marathon in early May, I would look at her and ask if my hair was messed up, peoe passing by us would just look and giggle. There have been many of other times that something was going on and I said it’s so bad I pulled my hair out. I just got back from
Mexico and all the waiters took my order last because they thought I was the one guy on a girls trip, I’m sure it was the combination of no hair and everyone else had their dresses on but still I became named Stu go the rest of the trip, last name Pidaso. Lol
There really are too many funnies along my path, every day is full of fun laughter and support beyond belief. I’m very blessed and wouldn’t change anything!!
You have a great sense of humor! Love your stories!